Officials Split After Framingham Unfiltered Creator Named To Agriculture Committee

FRAMINGHAM, MA — Framingham is far from without political controversy, but typically it isn't coming from the selection of alternates on the Agricultural Advisory Committee.

That isn't the case this week.

The Framingham City Council confirmed Mayor Charlie Sisitsky's appointment of Justin Kapust to the committee by a vote of six to five.

Kapust has long been linked to the website Framingham Unfiltered, which has garnered criticism for what Councilor Cesar Stewart-Morales said is a "platform that is used to anonymously launch personal and sustained attacks against elected officials, city employees, volunteers serving on other city boards and, worst of all, against private citizens."

The content throughout the years has featured what councilors said is racist and homophobic comments and opinions about private residents and those in city politics alike.

Stewart-Morales acknowledged that all residents of Framingham have a right to seek placement on committees, but said the board shouldn't ignore "this applicant's history."

"Mr. Kapust's contributions to our community to date have been negative," he said.

Stewart-Morales, who voted against the appointment, published a letter this week on Patch about the matter.

Kapust has been cagey through the years when it comes to his involvement with the site.

At a 2021 Framingham League of Women Voters meeting, Kapust said this when asked if he contributed to the site.

"As an autistic person I prefer to not be talked about, and I try to not get involved in public activities," he said. "I had hoped in the LWV I could have an opinion, and it would be celebrated as another opinion. I’m hopeful that the new leadership can breathe life into the organization."

He was more forthcoming at Tuesday's city council meeting, though still tried to distance himself from some of the content and declined to unveil who currently runs the site.

The site was created — first as Framingham Forward — after a "negative interaction with Dr. Spicer," Kapust said, referencing the former Mayor Yvonne Spicer, in roughly 2018. He said he stepped away from the site "sometime in the last two years."

Kapust said he is still aware of what happenings there and stated that "it all comes back to me," meaning that both he hears about it and is tied to the content produced on the site due to his original involvement.

He also bristled at the idea that he was "in charge" of the site, stating that there were "other voices that aren't mine" publishing on the site. Though he said he's stepped back, he also noted that it only takes a phone call from him to "make posts disappear."

Addressing council members directly, Kapust apologized.

"Anything I've done to you, personally, I'm sorry," he said.

Councilors who voted in favor of Kapust largely leaned on the ideas of free speech and giving people second chances, while also pointing to a need for volunteers on committees.

Still, that didn't land with everyone involved in Framingham politics.

State Rep. Jack Patrick Lewis responded directly to Stewart-Morales' piece on Patch, supporting the councilors who voted against the appointment.

His statement read:

"The next time there is a hate crime in Framingham, some city councilors will be the first to utter, "hate has no home here." At next month's Pride event, some of these councilors will be the first to post selfies. Hate has a home in Framingham, and on Tuesday night, the city council rolled out the red carpet to welcome and celebrate it.

Thank you Cesar Stewart-Morales, Framingham City Councilor, Christine Long, and others for thinking of our community's children and families. Thank you for imploring your colleagues to put slogans into practice. Thank you for denouncing the false equivalency between public accountability and hate speech."